Flu Scan for Oct 23, 2013

China confirms new H7N9 case in Zhejiang province

China has reported its second case of H7N9 avian flu in a week, according to a story today from Xinhua, China's state news agency.

The Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the virus in a 67-year-old Zhejiang man. Last week a 35-year-old man from the same province was confirmed to have the disease.

The new case-patient, a farmer from the city of Jiaxing, developed symptoms on Oct 16 and is now hospitalized in serious condition, the story said. His case raises the global H7N9 case count to 137, of which 45 have been fatal.Oct 23 Xinhua story Oct 15 CIDRAP News Story "Chinese man hospitalized with severe H7N9 flu"

BARDA awards $15 million for flu vaccine capacity building

To build influenza vaccine manufacturing capacity in developing countries and prepare for the next influenza pandemic, the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) today announced grants totaling $15 million to two international organizations and two US universities.

The World Health Organization (WHO) will receive the lion's share of the funds—$10.5 million—to support its Global Action Plan for Influenza Vaccines (GAP), the ASPR said in a news release. GAP enhances flu vaccine production in low-resource nations. The money will support production of H7N9 pre-pandemic vaccine candidates and subsequent clinical trials. BARDA has provided about $50 million to GAP in the last 7 years.

In addition, PATH, an international non-governmental health group, will receive $4.25 million to provide technical support to flu vaccine manufacturers and help with advanced clinical development of vaccines.

Finally, Utah State University and North Carolina State University will receive $125,000 each to conduct training programs for vaccine makers.